Extremely prolific.  In fact, I do not know that prolific is a strong enough adjective to truly express the bounty produced by one squash plant, let alone the seven in my backyard.  Last year there I planted five squash plants, and since that was definitely over kill I naturally planted five again this year.

Then there are the adopted summer squash plants.  My former neighbor had a small veggie garden of his own with a nice Zucchini and Crookneck.  Last month he moved out and abandoned the garden.  I contemplated taking on the weighty responsibilities of another garden:  It will have to be watered (it does not have the nice drip irrigation system that my garden does).  It will have to be weeded (sprinklers water more weeds hence the nice drip irrigation system in my garden).  Do I really need more squash?  YES! (What a glutton).

Needless to say I am inundated with Black Beauty Zucchini, Yellow Crooknecks, Cocozelle, Round (these really spread out so you find green round squash, in with the potatoes, spread out five feet from their own plant ) and Caserta.  Now, in addition to my double duty gardening tasks, I need to spend time perusing cookbooks and the internet for squash recipes (there is such a thing as Mexican Ratatouille), freezing (this involves partially cooking, moving squash to an ice bath, drying, and then you get to the freezing part) and of course sharing with friends!

Squash is really a very rewarding plant to grow.  It requires very few inputs and produces copiously.  Mine have even managed to evade the gophers, which have been into just about everything else.  So, next year I look forward to doing it all over again.  Maybe I will up the stakes and grow nine.  Send me your squash recipes!